High capacity batteries are frequently used in the consumer electronics. For example, lithium-ion batteries are often used to provide portable power for mobile telephones, mobile computers, tablets, cameras, and other mobile electronic devices, including robots. Lithium-ion, in particular, has a long cycle life, a relatively wide temperature range for operability (e.g., works in cold and hot environments), and a relatively low weight and small volume, making it an ideal choice for many compact electronic device applications.
One drawback of use of high capacity batteries is a potential for these batteries to incur an internal short that causes a rapid increase in temperature and may possibly result in an incurrence of a fire. Upon internal short, battery energy is converted to heat at a location of a short. The risk incurrence of a fire is higher when the shorting object is formed of a conductive material and has a relatively low heat capacity (e.g., a small sharp metal object that can pierce a battery) because in this case the heat is local to the short location and may be intense enough to start a reaction in the battery that can result in a very high temperatures from a thermal runaway caused by the short. A short may be caused when an electronic device is dropped on a sharp object or otherwise impacted by a sharp object, such as during an automobile accident, during child play, or by other incidental, accidental, or intentional activities.